Revenge may be on the minds of Boston College's 10 returning starters when the Virginia field hockey team travels to their home turf today.
In their first road game of the young season, the Cavaliers (3-1) will face a tough Boston College (3-1) team, the reigning Big East regular season and tournament champions. The Eagles suffered a loss to the Cavaliers late last season, but they will look to add to their current three-game winning streak today.
Virginia returns the majority of the team that defeated Boston College last year in Charlottesville, but to win again the Cavaliers realize they will have to play their game and cannot take the Eagles lightly, Virginia coach Jessica Wilk said.
Boston College "is a great team and it is up to us," Wilk said. "I think that it is going to be a great battle. They are very skilled, they are very fast, they are very strong and we are going to have to come ready to play."
Senior defender Katie Jo Gerfen will probably play a major role in the Cavaliers' game plan today. She is coming off of a game-winning goal in overtime against Miami of Ohio on Labor Day and in last season's matchup against BC, Gerfen notched an assist on three of Virginia's four goals. Boston College's defense is coming off of back-to-back shutouts, so Gerfen's experience could be crucial if the Cavaliers are to stop the Eagles' winning ways.
Boston College will join the ACC next season, but for now they represent a pre-conference tune-up and a chance for the Cavaliers to improve in preparation for a tough in conference schedule.
"We had a tough game against them last year, so we're ready for it," Gerfen said. "It is a chance to get better."
Boston College's attack centers on a tandem of juniors forwards -- Sarah York and Sabrina Lazzari. During the Eagles' winning streak, Lazzari scored five of the team's 15 goals and her efforts earned her the Big East Offensive Player of the Week award.
York led Boston College in scoring last year and is also a former Virginia player. York transferred following her freshman year for the Cavaliers and went on to start every game for BC last season while tallying 24 goals. Two of York's goals came in last season's matchup between the soon-to-be conference foes. York is off to a slow start this season, with only one goal in four games, but could easily turn it around against her former team.
Defensively, Boston College is one of the best teams in the nation with returning seniors Lauren Schultz and Kerri Doherty. Both are team co-captains and will join Kristen Madden on defense. Madden is the most touted of the trio, as she was the winner of the 2003 Big East Defensive Player of the Year award and is the preseason favorite to repeat. She was also the first Eagle since 2001 to be named to the Division I All-American team.
Just like Gerfen, her Virginia counterpart, Madden manages to find scoring opportunities from defense. Madden earned 12 points last season and has already managed six so far this year.
On the season, the Eagles defense has only allowed four goals in as many games, three of which came against No. 4 Maryland in their season opener.
Following their game today, the Cavaliers will stay in Massachusetts and face Quinnipiac University on Sunday. Virginia defeated Quinnipiac 2-1 in Charlottesville last year and the Bobcats have yet to win a game this season.
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